PRR Panhandle 2.0

Nice size panel.

Won’t forget.  My wife is reminding me as well!  😊

@G3750 posted:

Updated 4/10/2024:

Last few days have been about the starting and stopping of various small projects.  I continue to work on a number of things, trying to move ahead.  I just haven't been making a ton of progress.  Here is some forward movement, though:

• Laid out the tower panel for the Weirton Steel Yard.  Staples came through with the lamination.  The blue circles are toggle switch locations.  The small green or yellow circles are 3mm LED locations.

• Found a dead short in Power District #7.  No damage, as a fast-acting fuse sacrificed itself.  Turns out I had made a wiring error under the layout (in the dim light).
• The PRRT&HS came out with a fabulous new book on the Panhandle.  I'm over the moon with the sections on Weirton and Steubenville.  Like the majority of stuff I've seen from the society, it's well researched.

• Have been working on the updated Open Hearth presentation for Saturday's Division 2 Model Railroad Jamboree (check out the post in the Announcements sub-forum).
• Speaking of the Open Hearth, I put together a photo-op.  WSX #208, an Alco S-2, is waiting (note signal in foreground) to lead empty torpedo cars back to the blast furnaces for more pig iron.  The switcher can't proceed until that signal on the Staging Area entry track shows STOP.

More when I know it. 

George

George is that blast furnace a model or the background?

Ron

@G3750 posted:

Updated 4/10/2024:

Last few days have been about the starting and stopping of various small projects.  I continue to work on a number of things, trying to move ahead.  I just haven't been making a ton of progress.  Here is some forward movement, though:

• Laid out the tower panel for the Weirton Steel Yard.  Staples came through with the lamination.  The blue circles are toggle switch locations.  The small green or yellow circles are 3mm LED locations.

• Found a dead short in Power District #7.  No damage, as a fast-acting fuse sacrificed itself.  Turns out I had made a wiring error under the layout (in the dim light).
• The PRRT&HS came out with a fabulous new book on the Panhandle.  I'm over the moon with the sections on Weirton and Steubenville.  Like the majority of stuff I've seen from the society, it's well researched.

• Have been working on the updated Open Hearth presentation for Saturday's Division 2 Model Railroad Jamboree (check out the post in the Announcements sub-forum).
• Speaking of the Open Hearth, I put together a photo-op.  WSX #208, an Alco S-2, is waiting (note signal in foreground) to lead empty torpedo cars back to the blast furnaces for more pig iron.  The switcher can't proceed until that signal on the Staging Area entry track shows STOP.

More when I know it. 

George

George,

Nice work happening on the layout and I'm sure your presentation will be very interesting. I met a modeler who is a steel mill guru. I plan to meet with him and see his models in the near future. How does one get a copy of that book?

Dave

@PRRronbh posted:

George is that blast furnace a model or the background?

Ron

Ron,

The blast furnaces on the divider are Weirton's.  I took that photo in 2010 and had RailroadBackdrops.com turn it into the divider.  I wish I were talented enough to model a blast furnace; the proportions in O scale are extremely tricky.

George

@luvindemtrains posted:

George,

Nice work happening on the layout and I'm sure your presentation will be very interesting. I met a modeler who is a steel mill guru. I plan to meet with him and see his models in the near future. How does one get a copy of that book?

Dave

Dave,

Thank you!

The only place to get the book is at the PRRT&HS store.  Link is https://prrths.org/content.asp...amp;module_id=488057

George

The Open Hearth looks great George.  Nicely Done. I know how much work you put into it. Beautiful.

Well done, George. See you next week.

Peter

@G3750 posted:

Updated 4/10/2024:

Last few days have been about the starting and stopping of various small projects.  I continue to work on a number of things, trying to move ahead.  I just haven't been making a ton of progress.  Here is some forward movement, though:

• Laid out the tower panel for the Weirton Steel Yard.  Staples came through with the lamination.  The blue circles are toggle switch locations.  The small green or yellow circles are 3mm LED locations.

• Found a dead short in Power District #7.  No damage, as a fast-acting fuse sacrificed itself.  Turns out I had made a wiring error under the layout (in the dim light).
• The PRRT&HS came out with a fabulous new book on the Panhandle.  I'm over the moon with the sections on Weirton and Steubenville.  Like the majority of stuff I've seen from the society, it's well researched.

• Have been working on the updated Open Hearth presentation for Saturday's Division 2 Model Railroad Jamboree (check out the post in the Announcements sub-forum).
• Speaking of the Open Hearth, I put together a photo-op.  WSX #208, an Alco S-2, is waiting (note signal in foreground) to lead empty torpedo cars back to the blast furnaces for more pig iron.  The switcher can't proceed until that signal on the Staging Area entry track shows STOP.

More when I know it. 

George

I am in love! With that open hearth model! That’s going to be absolute eye candy when finished!

also thanks for reminding me to order Conquest III! I really need to grab my own copy soon!

@Pennsy6755 posted:

I am in love! With that open hearth model! That’s going to be absolute eye candy when finished!

also thanks for reminding me to order Conquest III! I really need to grab my own copy soon!

Actually, it is (for all intents and purposes) finished.  Thank you for the kind words.

George

Updated 4/16/2024:

It has been a busy last few days.  Saturday's Division 2 Model Railroad Jamboree was a big success with over 100 attendees.

Yesterday was spent collecting and organizing the stuff that I am delivering to York later in the week.

Today, I focused on painting 1/8" Masonite pieces that will be used for the WSX Tower panel and fascia for the Weirton peninsula. The color is Behr paint called "Baked Sienna".

More when I know it. 

George

Have a good time at York, George!

Updated 4/22/2024:

• As reported elsewhere, York was (as usual) a fabulous time spent with friends and picking up some needed (and not-so-needed) items.  Total haul:
  • K-Line K80-6529 PRR Railway Post Office heavyweight car; this will be added to the planned expressed mail train
  • Atlas 9530-1 Armour #1574 reefer;  this received 3-rail trucks and will be part of the Armour packing fleet to be switched and interchanged at Armour Packing in Steubenville, OH
  • Two Ford 2-door sedans (Fleer?); these 1/43 cars are maroon and blue, respectively
  • Five DZ-1070 track sensors for use with DZ crossing gates and crossbucks
  • Five DZ-1060 PRR 7-light position signals
  • Tank car top (w/ railing) from K&P; this makes a perfect mounting platform for the compressed air tank used at Standard Slag to dump slag cars - one of those spur of the moment finds
• Installed two DZ-1060 PRR signals
• Completed running the 15VAC signal bus on the Weirton peninsula to power all signals, floodlight towers, cross-buck signals, and crossing gates

I am currently working on installing a pair of cross buck signals with the new sensors.

More when I know it. 

George

George, solid haul from York! Once of these days when my kids are older, I am gonna make it there! I cannot wait to see these signals in action once you have them installed and wired. Please send along a video then!

Mike

@G3750 posted:

Updated 4/22/2024:

• As reported elsewhere, York was (as usual) a fabulous time spent with friends and picking up some needed (and not-so-needed) items.  Total haul:
  • K-Line K80-6529 PRR Railway Post Office heavyweight car; this will be added to the planned expressed mail train
  • Atlas 9530-1 Armour #1574 reefer;  this received 3-rail trucks and will be part of the Armour packing fleet to be switched and interchanged at Armour Packing in Steubenville, OH
  • Two Ford 2-door sedans (Fleer?); these 1/43 cars are maroon and blue, respectively
  • Five DZ-1070 track sensors for use with DZ crossing gates and crossbucks
  • Five DZ-1060 PRR 7-light position signals
  • Tank car top (w/ railing) from K&P; this makes a perfect mounting platform for the compressed air tank used at Standard Slag to dump slag cars - one of those spur of the moment finds
• Installed two DZ-1060 PRR signals
• Completed running the 15VAC signal bus on the Weirton peninsula to power all signals, floodlight towers, cross-buck signals, and crossing gates

I am currently working on installing a pair of cross buck signals with the new sensors.

More when I know it. 

George

George, Picture Please!

Ron

All:

I don't have the signals working quite yet, but here are some photos of the stuff I got at York.

On the left is the stand for the compressed air tank.  It's the top platform for a tank car, but it will serve nicely as the support stand for the tank.  On the right is the reefer for Armour Packing.

Here is the PRR Railway Post Office.  It's an 18" K-Line heavyweight car.

Below are a pickup truck and the two 2-door Ford sedans

George

Nice items!

@G3750 posted:

All:

I don't have the signals working quite yet, but here are some photos of the stuff I got at York.

On the left is the stand for the compressed air tank.  It's the top platform for a tank car, but it will serve nicely as the support stand for the tank.  On the right is the reefer for Armour Packing.

Here is the PRR Railway Post Office.  It's an 18" K-Line heavyweight car.

Below are a pickup truck and the two 2-door Ford sedans

George

Nice haul there! I must say, I was right on my earlier assumption!

K-Line Cars are a real kicker and very detailed/smooth runners. Especially the later ones made in the 2000s. Only real downside I’ve ever experienced with them is their smoke units. Other than that, they hold up well!

Another thing I am really curious on and was surprised about hearing was there being an Armour packing plant in Steubenville. I knew most of the industries there thanks in part to the late Bill Neal’s beautiful HO Panhandle Route, but never heard of Armour having one!

Learn something new everyday!

@Pennsy6755 posted:

Nice haul there! I must say, I was right on my earlier assumption!

K-Line Cars are a real kicker and very detailed/smooth runners. Especially the later ones made in the 2000s. Only real downside I’ve ever experienced with them is their smoke units. Other than that, they hold up well!

Another thing I am really curious on and was surprised about hearing was there being an Armour packing plant in Steubenville. I knew most of the industries there thanks in part to the late Bill Neal’s beautiful HO Panhandle Route, but never heard of Armour having one!

Learn something new everyday!

Thank you.  I very much like K-Line cars.  In addition to the 18" Broadway Limited heavyweights, I have the somewhat rare (although I spotted one at this past York!) K-Line 18" PRR Spirit of St. Louis.  That is of course, the correct passenger car set for this route.  Photos below.

The Armour packing facility was just (railroad) west of the station.  From what I have learned, the spur curved off the track and the building was curved to match it.  Should be an interesting build.

And here are two refrigerator cars that I acquired about a year or two ago.  So now I have 3.  I also have a stock car (somewhere).

George

@G3750 posted:

Thank you.  I very much like K-Line cars.  In addition to the 18" Broadway Limited heavyweights, I have the somewhat rare (although I spotted one at this past York!) K-Line 18" PRR Spirit of St. Louis.  That is of course, the correct passenger car set for this route.  Photos below.

The Armour packing facility was just (railroad) west of the station.  From what I have learned, the spur curved off the track and the building was curved to match it.  Should be an interesting build.

And here are two refrigerator cars that I acquired about a year or two ago.  So now I have 3.  I also have a stock car (somewhere).

George

I’ve been really considering grabbing a passenger set of my own one of these days.. only downside is I don’t have space for the boxes and the correct engine to pull them 😔

Maybe next Cheswick show I’ll go looking! Who knows….

Also love the size comparison of the first Armour car to the other. One of my favorite things about K-line reefers is just the size differences and unique combos you can pull off with the traditional sized ones and scale ones.

Favorite example I can think of is my set of Heinz Reefers K-line produced.

Several are small with a few exceptions (the 2004 promotional Fort Pitt Scale reefer and a vats pickle car that’s similar to a copy owned by the science center I’ve seen a lot when I was growing up), and they blend in/roll nicely with the rest of my fleet!

is it bizzare? Yes. But then again, Railking exists!

Updated 4/25/2024:

There are a bunch of projects stuck in various stages.  Some are awaiting further investigation into what I actually want to do, others are delayed by a lack of information, one is a warranty issue with a product that will be used throughout the layout.

As a result, I have turned my attention to a project that has accumulated all the supplies needed and whose time has now come.  I talking about the highway overpass at Crawford’s Crossing.  In the prototype, this is the spot in Weirton where Route 2 (Main Street) crosses over the railroad tracks and essentially splits the mill in half.  I am focused on the 1931 (initial) version of this structure, which was built on the Crawford farm to eliminate automobile interruptions of mill train activity.  In the photo below, the roadbed of Crawford's Crossing sits on the bench work between the two mills.  Eventually it will end up about 5" higher.

I am currently revising my Visio plan of the structure, comparing the dimensions of the components with the drawing.  For example, I bought a number of bridge shoes which I thought were ¼” high.  Turns out that they are ½” high and 5/8” square at the bottom.  Those changes are going into the diagram.  They also have a lot of flash.  A visit to the grinding wheel is the easiest way to clean up all 34 shoes.  I also bought a number of long plate girders from Scenic Express.  While expensive, they are perfect for the structure.  But I will need to trim the ends (which are diagonal rather than straight);  that shortens them and I need to be sure of their fit. Here's a test fitting of the plate girder, bridge shoe, and a stand-in for the abutment.

But just so you know, I haven't forgotten about the Weirton Steel Yard tower's control panel.  That is in progress.  There just isn't much to talk about yet.

More when I know it. 

George

George, I’ve been out for a bit, catching up….. that control panel came out wonderful! I am trying to visualize your elevated roadway. Can’t wait to see the finished product. I feel your pain with the sizing of the bridge shoes etc. I will say that is one advantage of introducing a cheap, resin, 3D printer into my modeling tool kit. I can print the bridge shoes any size I need. I can’t wait to see the roadway split the mill!! Thanks for sharing!

Mike

@LT1Poncho posted:

George, I’ve been out for a bit, catching up….. that control panel came out wonderful! I am trying to visualize your elevated roadway. Can’t wait to see the finished product. I feel your pain with the sizing of the bridge shoes etc. I will say that is one advantage of introducing a cheap, resin, 3D printer into my modeling tool kit. I can print the bridge shoes any size I need. I can’t wait to see the roadway split the mill!! Thanks for sharing!

Mike

Mike,

The panel looks good, but I have yet to populate it with toggle switches and LEDs.  The elevated roadway passes between the mills and then descends to ground level (just like the real thing).

George

This is going to be such a visually interesting scene! It's exciting that you're starting this portion.

Update 4/26/2024:

Revisions and finalization of the Visio plans for the overpass have yielded a few minor changes.  One of these is the final alignment of the road as it climbs to the position between the Blooming Mill and the Open Hearth.  The new alignment means I must move a light tower a few inches farther north (towards the back wall of the layout).  That’s really not a big deal;  it requires disconnecting the wires and drilling 3 new holes.  Here’s a photo showing light tower in the wrong place.

And one showing it in the correct spot.  It's a subtle, but necessary change.

Here's a look at a side view of part of the overpass.

More when I know it.

George